Green construction trend popular in well-established suburbs

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Danette Breitenbach

Homeowners and developers in prime Johannesburg suburbs are increasingly buying into the green construction trend that is already well established in the commercial building and gated residential estate sectors.

This is the view of Ronald Ennik, founder and principal of Christie’s International real estate-affiliated Ennik Estates.

A prime example is the light steel frame (LSF) technology that was applied in the recent construction of two prestige homes on a subdivided property above The River Road in Bryanston, Johannesburg.

Key benefit

“While green building is mostly associated with newly-developed, post-millennium suburbs, it is interesting to note that buy-demolish-and-rebuild developers and investors are now increasing applying LSF technology in long-established residential areas as well,” says Ennik.

“Apart from being environment-friendly, a key benefit of LSF construction is that houses are warmer in winter and cooler in summer compared with standard bricks and mortar,” says Bryanston-focused Ennik Estates consultant, Mandy Smith.

“Furthermore, there are no damp issues and wall cracking - and it is easy and clean to do upgrades and renovations. The LSF concept is also bank-friendly in that most of the major banks have approved the concept and will grant home loans if approached. In fact one of them recently granted an 80% bond for an LSF-built home,” Smith concludes.